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His stepdaughter, Vicky Roebuck, said Hughes could not believe how people remembered him.

"He was just overwhelmed, he just couldn't believe that all these people, whether he treated their pets 6 months ago or 25 months ago, remembered him. The stories are so detailed and most people have donated in the name of their pets, so he knows pretty much all of them."

People from around the country have recognised Hughes for his work with animals.

The donations range from $1000 to $5.

One 8-year-old girl gave her pocket money for the week to Hughes, a man she had never met before.

Roebuck said the money donated so far would pay off up to half of the clinic's debt.

"Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would get the response that we have, it has just taken such a huge burden off them [Hughes] from a worry and a stress point of view, it's amazing."

"It's going to help a lot. The awareness that it has raised has dragged some people out of the woodwork to pay up too."